Terminal inspection devices include a device for checking a proper fitting of a male terminal and a female terminal, and a device for checking a certain connection of a terminal and a connected electric wire.
The former inspection device measures a force necessary to fit or remove the male terminal into or from the female terminal to find a defective product which has an insufficient connecting force for fitting. In the latter inspection device, an inferior connection of the terminal and the connected electric wire is found by fitting the terminal having the electric wire connected thereto with a member having an electric wire and connecting each electric wire with a measuring means to determine a current value flowing in a circuit.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a conventional inspection device for inspecting a connection state of a female terminal and a connected electric wire. To the surface of a frame 1 prepared by bending a plate, a body block 3 having a terminal inserting hole 2 is attached. To the back face of the frame 1, a tab pin 4 made of a conductive material and an electric wire 5 in contact with the tab pin 4 are fastened by means of a bolt 6, and an end of the electric wire 5 is connected to a measuring means (A). A leading end of the tab pin 4 projects into the terminal inserting hole 2 passing through the frame 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a female terminal to be inspected. At the leading end of a female terminal 7, an electric connection part 8 which elastically engages a male terminal is disposed, and an electric wire connection part 9 is disposed at the rear end. The electric wire connection part 9 consists of a holding part 9a for holding an insulating coating of a connected electric wire W by press-contacting, and a holding part 9b for holding a conductor of the connected electric wire W by press-contacting.
A connection state of the female terminal 7 and the connected electric wire W is inspected by the following procedure. When the leading end of the female terminal 7 is inserted into the terminal inserting hole 2, the tab pin 4 is fitted into the electric connection part 8 to be held by an elastic force of the electric connection part 8. The end of the connected electric wire W is connected to a measuring means (A) and a current is passed. The connection state of the connected electric wire W and the holding part 9b can be determined from a measured value obtained by the measuring means (A). After the inspection, the female terminal 7 is pulled out, and another female terminal 7 is fitted with the tab pin 4 and inspected. This procedure is repeated to inspect tile terminals.
The female terminal 7 is moved vertically and horizontally to be pulled out from the terminal inserting hole 2 as the female terminal is fitted with the tab pin. Therefore, there are disadvantages that the electric connection part 8 is enlarged or deformed.
In addition, the fitting or removing of the female terminal 7 to or from the tab pin 4 is troublesome and the fitting may be unstable depending on workmanship of the tab pin 4. Thus, successive inspection of many terminals cannot be made smoothly.